Sumner police chief: Woman admitted to starting Main Street fire that destroyed building
One day after a large fire tore through a building in downtown Sumner, destroying the century-old structure and damaging nearby businesses, police arrested a woman they believe started the fire intentionally.
The suspect, who is in her 20s, is being held at Pierce County Jail on unrelated warrants. A City of Sumner spokesperson said arson charges had been referred to the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. An official with that office said charges were expected to be filed Thursday.
Speaking to Sumner City Council during a special study session Monday, Police Chief Brad Moericke said that in a taped interview with the suspect Nov. 3, she admitted to starting the fire by igniting cardboard behind 1003-1005 Main Street.
Police believe the woman started the Oct. 28 building fire intentionally. City spokesperson Carmen Palmer said Wednesday that when police took the suspect into custody, she answered questions about the fire and initially admitted to being present for a “warming fire” behind the building. Palmer said during the Nov. 3 police interview, the woman said she purposefully started the fire to have police and fire officials “do their jobs.”
In a phone call, Palmer said police believe the woman’s intentions had to do with her past interactions with police and fire officials. She said the police department’s investigation was consistent with the Pierce County fire marshal’s conclusion that the fire started outside the building.
Police identified the woman as a suspect after several businesses shared video with Sumner Police Department on Oct. 29 that showed several “transients” in the area before and after the report of the fire, Moericke told Sumner council members.
“Officers were able to identify one of the females in the video from very frequent, recent contacts,” Moericke said.
Police interviewed another man identified by the suspect, who was seen on video provided by nearby businesses. Palmer said investigations are ongoing into the identity and potential involvement of other individuals.
The fire started next to a collection of recycled cooking oils from a restaurant, also near three gas meters that serviced the building, Moericke said.
Speaking during the same meeting, East Pierce Fire & Rescue Chief Jon Parkinson said fire from those melted gas meters impeded crews’ ability to put the fire out. He said Puget Sound Energy crews had to jackhammer through asphalt to shut off the gas line.
Typically, Parkinson said, crews would have accessed a shutoff valve in the street, but he said PSE crews weren’t able to locate it. He speculated that the valve had been paved over at some point.
This story was originally published November 9, 2022 at 3:37 PM.
